He may be out of a job as a professional footballer after leaving L.A. Galaxy but Zlatan Ibrahimovic does not to stay out of the headlines.
In the midst of being linked to a plethora of clubs across the continent, including reuniting with ex-gaffer Jose Mourinho at Tottenham Hotspur or hitting up his own haunt AC Milan, the Swedish superstar has invested in yet another football club, and one that hails from his homeland.
Ibrahimovic, 38, has now bought a 50% share of company AEG Sweden who control Allsvenskan side Hammarby IF allowing the footballer to become a prominent shareholder in the club.
Hammarby share the same owners as the Galaxy, the Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), from whom Zlatan has made the purchase.
A statement from the Stockholm-based club read,
“This week, representatives of Hammarby Football met with AEG and Zlatan Ibrahimovic in Los Angeles.
“AEG has informed Hammarby that it has sold half of its ownership in AEG Sweden to Ibrahimovic, which in turn means that Ibrahimovic becomes part owner of Hammarby Fotboll AB.”
Zlatan is one of the most decorated footballers in the world, having won trophies across Europe, in Italy, France, Spain, and England.
Hammarby, on-the-other-hand, have won the league just once in 2001, when Ibrahimovic was competing in his final season for rival side Malmö.
As recent as October Malmö in fact unveiled a statue of their former striker, and finished in second, one place ahead of Hammarby, for the 2019 season.
"Hammarby is a fantastic club with passionate supporters and has great respect in both Stockholm and Sweden," declared Ibrahimovic once the deal was unveiled.
Ibrahimovic who was plied his trade for such esteemed clubs as Manchester United, Barcelona, and Paris Saint-Germain went on to say,
"I have always liked the club and the fans, since then I am impressed with what the club has done in recent years, both on and off the pitch.
"Being able to join and develop Hammarby forward feels both fun and exciting."
Could the clubless forward in fact become player-owner? Chelsea legend Didier Drogba lead the way back in 2017 when he took charge of U.S side Phoenix Rising. Other footballers have invested in football clubs as their careers have steered towards a conclusion. David Beckham is not only part-owner of League Two side Salford City, but also one of the pioneers behind new MLS franchise Inter Miami, which will join the American top tier in 2020. In the same area Milan great Paolo Mandini also helped launched a soccer venture, Miami FC around the same time.
Ignoring those sunnier climes of Florida for his native Sweden it ultimately seems Ibrahimovic is more of a homeboy.
Now get those boots back on Zlatan.
